Torrent Zero
Sector Zero is the base of leading research, put in a safe place with the highest security, yet it is barely something that lasts a bit longer than every other place. The anomalous effect of the rain still creeps through the concrete that shelters them, eating away the sanity of the researchers here. Everyone does everything together just to feel more united.
What happens to the people who are turned by the rain? Their bodies for sure shift greatly, and so they also lose the ability to speak. And their minds, some go wild, some vaguely remain intact, but ultimately, they are not the old them anymore. Many die in the process, some are killed and the rest escape to the upper world, which all have abandoned ever since the rain came. One day it just came, and no one knew for sure why. Some said that it’s God’s wraith, but science held the highest place in everyone’s hearts, because it was tangible and functioning, rather than putting your faith in some divine existence that never came for your prayers.
Skavia arrives at the scene with her gears and a whole group to escort her. She takes in her surroundings, but Lonia would never let her touch all the cool technology here, especially when they are inside some corpses’ heads. The thick metal gate was torn, with the outer sheets rolled up like paper, the wires still spark occasionally, with the little electronic pulse dancing around in a blink of an eye. Broken glass all around the floor, dismembered limbs hanging loose from above. Good thing there isn’t an absurd amount of blood, most of the facilities are destroyed, but many areas stay untouched from the attack. The graves, for instance.
They never get past 16, the turning point of their life, maturity. The recorded dates on the graves still make her feel irritated, and sad. “Their bodies are not even here right?“ she asks.
“Some do, some don’t. You know, when they start to have physical symptoms, they change. Those kids were a pain to deal with when that happened, though, only a few escaped somewhere out there.“ Lonia picks the withered flowers from a grave, and crushes them in his fists. “What a pity for the far gone, they should have watered the flowers more.“
“Out there…I wonder…Say, Lonia, if I turn into some weird monster, what will you do?“
“I can’t tell you that.“
The cold air rushes downward to them, and the glass above circles in the air, cutting her face as she is pulled by Lonia. She trembles and shivers, but is still trying to look up. The dark sky looms over them, and she has a peak of the swarm of creatures covering the whole opencin the blown away ceiling.
“Stay close if you want to keep your words,” he says. Water pours down to crush them, and in the blurry waterwall the malicious wings pierce the masked man’s chest, lifting him upward in the sky.
“Lonia!“ She calls out, trying to get a better view. But she is picked up, and her vision flees the sky, “Let me go!“ She yells, but one of the crewmates takes her by their arms. The rest take their weapons out and charge, but she only gets so much of a glimpse before being bashed through the doors.
“He can deal with it, but we cannot lose you.“ The person says to her, as he puts her down in the restroom, one that still remains intact enough. They close the door, her fists slam on it but to no avail. Skavia screams, and then cries, and exhausts, falling asleep on the concrete floor.
Skavia wakes up again to the machinery noises, her arms wrap around the rough armor and ragged clothes of one man, still blurry and dazed, she hugs the figure tight.
“10 kilometers to the North…“ The man carrying her speaks, with a soft and unfamiliar voice. She bites her lips, and her nails dig into the man’s clothes.
“Where is he?“ She says, “Where is he!?“
“Skavia, please calm down…we are as worried as you are, he was taken away.“ The man says.
“There are hurricanes tearing anything down in their paths, we can’t go outside to search for him.“ Another adds.
“We will find a way…” she says, lowering her volume.
“Our meteorologists, along with many people, report the unusual occurrence of hurricanes, they have appeared more than usual and a lot of infrastructure has been damaged. Large scale migration is going on, Skavia, we need to prioritize what we can control. Don’t let his sacrifice go to waste.“
Her eyebrows tense as she flinches, her arms tighten with force around the man’s neck, “Do not ever say that. He is not dead.“ Her throat burns from the condensed fury that gives every word a weight, weighing on the atmosphere. Her arms hurt from the tightening, his hands reach to loosen her grip, but he doesn’t seem to actually try at all.
“Right right, I’m sorry.“ He says, and she lets go of him, letting out a huff. But a growling sound from her stomach follows and she sighs.
She buries her face in the lunchbox when they get home, the man pats her back with a concerned look, she pays no mind to him. It only takes a few minutes for her to empty the box as she looks at him.
“That’s not very ladylike of you.“ He says to her as she folds her arms.
“Are you trying to be Lonia 2.0, or is everyone the same as him?“
The man holds her hands and raises them up toward his face, his fingers trace hers, going downward to the palm and finally the wrist. “Your hands are pretty. It’s a miracle that they still have their shapes preserved.“
“T-thank you, I guess. Aren’t all prophets unaffected until they turn 16? I’m nothing of a special case. But, I’m not ending up like them!“ she smiles, a bright smile, and a blush. “I will keep my words, and find Sir Lonia.“
“I can try and gather a small team for that,” he says, “He is our leader, after all. I’m not so ungrateful, rather, we all owe him.“
“But didn’t you say-”
“You can’t find him on your own.“
“…Thank you.“
Skavia glances at the small groups across the cafeteria, she waves, slowly, to them. She smiles again, but also feels like crying, it’s not that dramatic, right? Just find him and take him back, everything will be alright, it has always been alright for 15 years of her lifetime, and even before so. She laughs to herself, a strange and quiet one, and she looks at her arm, words still embedded on it, yet blurry and illegible.
